Electrical connectors



Dec. 22, 1964 H. B. WARZECKA ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS Filed Aug. 16, 1962IN V EN TOR.-

y M QJ m Wm w d1 T RWM United States Patent 3,162,503 ELEETRIQALCONNEQTQRS Herbert B. Warzeclra, New Brighton, Minn assignor to ModularElectronics, inc, Minneapolis, Mind, a corporation of Minnesota FiledAug. 16, 1962, Ser. No. 217,461 2 Claims. ((Ii. 339-258) The hereindisclosed invention relates to electrical connectors and has for anobject to provide a connector for connecting several elements ofelectrical apparatus together and which will be inexpensive tomanufacture.

Another object of the invention resides in constructing the connectorwith a two-part case constructed of in sulating material and in which aplurality of sockets may be mounted and electrically separated from oneanother.

A still further object of the invention resides in providing a connectorelement having sockets to which a number of connections may bepermanently made and another socket to which a detachable connection maybe made.

An object of the invention resides in constructing the connector elementfrom resilient sheet metal and in one piece.

An object of the invention resides in constructing the connector elementwith a body having a pair of juxtaposed sockets therein for reception ofprongs, said sockets each comprising spaced curved yands extendingoutwardly from the plane of the body on opposite sides thereof andforming a cavity at the edge of the body for the reception of the prong.

Another object of the invention resides in constructing the bands ofadiacent sockets in apposition and extending from opposite sides of thebody.

A feature of the invention resides-in forming said bands jointlysubstantially S-shapcd in form.

An object of the invention resides in constructing the body of theconnector element with lugs adapted to be received in a recess in one ofthe parts of the case and engaging both parts of the case andrestraining movement of the connector element relative to the case whenprongs are inserted in or removed from the sockets.

Other objects of the invention reside in the novel combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterillustrated and/or described.

in the drawings:

FEGURE l is a plan view of a portion of an electrical connectorillustrating an embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a developed view of the blank from which the connectorelement is constructed.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the connector element and drawn to anenlarged scale.

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is an end view of the invention.

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5 of the other end of tr econnector element.

FIGURE 7 is an isometric view taken on line 7-7 of FIGURE 1 and drawn toa greatly enlarged scale with the parts or" the case separated and theconnector elements shown in various positions relative thereto.

The invention comprises a case A constructed in two parts 19 and 20.These parts are elongated in form and overlie one another and areadapted to support any number of connector elements. Only the connectorelement 30 shown in FIGURE 7, however, will be described in detail.

The connector element 39 shown in FIGURE 7 is constructed from resilientsheet metal. The blank from which this connector element is formed isdesignated by the reference numeral 31 and is illustrated in FIGURE 2.This blank has a body 32 formed with spaced slots 33 and 35 and twoopenings and 36. By means of this "ice construction, bands 37, 38, and39 are formed between the slots 33 and the opening 34 and bands 41, 42,and 43 formed between the slots 35 and the opening 36. The slots 33 andthe opening 3-;- fall short of the lateral edge 47 of the blank to leavea marginal portion 44 connected to the bands 37, 38, and 39 at theirouter ends. Similarly, the slots 35 and opening 36 fall short of thelateral edge 48 of the blank to leave a marginal portion 45 connected tothe outer ends of the bands 41, i2, and 4-3. The slots 33 terminateshort of the slots 35 and the opening 34 terminates short of the opening35 to leave an intervening portion 46 connected to the inner ends of thebands. It will be noted the bands 37 and 41, the bands 38 and 42, andthe bands 39 and 43 extend in opposite directions from the body 32 sothat the joint apposed bands are substantially S-shaped in form.

The blank 31 further includes an extension 59 which is formed with twokerfs 51 and 52 which are open at their outer ends. These kerfs form inthe extension fingers 53, 54, and 55 which are connected together attheir inner ends by means of a connecting portion 56. The connectingportion 56 is connected to the body 32 by means of a neck 57.

The connector element 30 is formed by depressing the bands 4-1 and 43and the band 38 and by raising the bands 37 and 39 and the band 42 asshown in FIGURE 7. By means of the construction, two sockets 58 and 59are formed having cavities 61 and 62 therein. These cavities are conicalin form and have a slight taper, the diameter of said cavities beinggreatest at the outer ends of the same. These cavities receive theprongs to be attached to the connector element and permit of forcing thesame into said cavities to wedge the prongs in position. While theconnector will operate with cylindrical prongs, better contact will bemade if the prongs have the same taper as the cavities. These prongs areadapted to be substantially permanently attached to the connector andare seldom dis connected therefrom.

The extension 59 of the blank 31 is bent to form an object of revolutionhaving its axis parallel to the axes of the cavities 61 and 62. By meansof this construction, a socket is formed which is indicated by thereference numeral 60. This socket, at an intermediate portion 63 of thesame, is formed of slightly lesser diameter than the diameter of theprong to be inserted into the cavity 65 therein. The outermost portions66 of the fingers 53, 54, and 55 flare outwardly to permit of readilyinserting the prongs into the socket. The innermost portion 6'7 of thesocket freely receives the prong. Due to the fact that the blank 31 isconstructed of resilient mate rial, the fin ers 53, 54-, and 55 yield tofrictionally grip the prong and permit of readily inserting the pronginto the socket or removing the same therefrom.

The part lit or case A is constructed with a series of holes 12 whichfreely receive the various sockets so. These holes have reduced ends 13and which are or" dimensions to freely receive the prongs to be insertedin said sockets. These holes guide the prongs into the outer open endsof the cavities 65 and direct the same into the sockets proper. The partit is formed with a surface 14 which overlies a similar surface 24 onthe part 2d. The surface 14 has grooves 15 and 16 formed therein, Whilethe surface 24 has mating grooves 2d and as. in these grooves arereceived lugs 49 formed on the blank 31 and bent outwardly from the body32 as shown in FIGURE 7. These lugs restrain longitudinal movement ofthe connector elements when the prongs are applied thereto or removedtherefrom.

The part 20 is constructed with pairs of holes 22 and 23 which areadapted to receive the sockets 58 and 59. In addition, grooves 27 and 2%and slots 29 are formed to receive the marginal portions 44 and 45 andthe intermediate portion 46 of the connector elements 30.

In the assembly of the device, the various connector elements 30 areinserted into the holes 22 and 23 and into the grooves 27, 28, and theslots 29 of part '20 of case A. A connector element 30A shown in FTGURE7 is illustrated as positioned immediately above said portion of thepart 20 and in position to be inserted into one pair of holes 22 and 23and grooves 27 and 23. The position of the same connector elementindicated by the reference numeral 30 in FIGURE 7 is shown as properlyapplied to the part 20. After all of the connector elements are inposition, the part is placed over the part 20 with all of the sockets 60received in the holes 12. The two parts are then connected together bymeans of the rivets 11 which extend through holes 17 in said parts.

The use of the invention is obvious. A connector is attached to thestructure having the fixed elements by means of the rivets 11 passingthrough the openings 17 in the two parts 10 and 20. All of the permanentconnecting prongs are then forced into the sockets 58 and 59 to makemore or less permanent connections therewith. The detachable portion ofthe device with which the connector is used is then connected throughflexible leads terminating in prongs suitable for use with the socket 60and which are then applied to the proper sockets.

The invention is highly advantageous in that it can be constructed at anominal expense. Soldering or brazing as is now customary in themanufacture of similar connectors is entirely done away with. Theconnector elements occupy a minimum amount of space so that a relativelysmall case will hold a considerable number of connector elements.

Changes in the specific form of the invention, as herein described, mayhe made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from thespirit of the invention.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to beprotected by Letters Patent is:

1. An electrical connector for use with a conical plug, said connectorcomprising,

(a) a connector element constructed from sheet metal and formed with,

(b) a fiat body, 7

(c) a plurality of juxtaposed sockets for the reception of prongs andcarried by said body,

((1) said sockets being arranged in parallel relation and eachcomprising,

(e) spaced curved bands extending outwardly from the plane of the bodyon opposite sides thereof and forming a conical cavity with its end ofgreater diameter being disposed outwardly for the reception of theconical plug, (f) an extension on said body formed with parallel kerfstherein providing, (g) a number of fingers connected thereto and with(h) a circular connecting portion therebetween,

(i) said fingers being arranged to provide a longitudinally extendingcavity open at the outer end thereof for the reception of a prong,

(j) said fingers extending longitudinally relative to said cavity andbeing movable in radial directions,

(k) said connecting portion being in the form of a circle and movable ina direction to alter the circumference of the circle in which it lies,

(I) and a neck between said connecting portion and said body.

2. An electrical connector for use with a plug, said connectorcomprising,

(a) a connector element constructed from sheet metal and formed with,

(b) a flat body, 7

(c) a plurality of juxtaposed sockets for the reception of prongs andcarried by said body,

(d) said sockets being arranged in parallel relation and eachcomprising,

(2) spaced curved bands extending outwardly from the plane of the bodyon opposite sides thereof and forming a cavity for the reception of theplug,

(7) an extension on said body formed with parallel kerfs thereinproviding,

(g) a number of fingers connected thereto and with (h) a circularconnecting portion therebetween,

(i) said fingers being arranged to provide a longitudinally extendingcavity open at the outer end thereof for the reception of a prong,

(j) said fingers extending longitudinally relative to said cavity andbeing movable in radial directions,

(k) said connecting portion being in the form of a circle and movable ina direction to alter the circumference of the circle in which it lies,

(I) and a neck between said connecting portion and said body.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,004,076 6/35Knutson 339-258 X 2,158,004 5/39 Douglas 339-l98.4 2,209,734 7/40 Larkin339-256 X r 2,254,586 9/41 Warwick u 7-l4.1 2,648,827 8/53 Knollrnan339-275 X 2,688,735 9/54 Hubbell 339-198 X 2,712,121 6/55 Schmier339-157 2,745,080 5/56 Offer-man 339-258 X 2,920,303 l/6O Johnson339-159 X 2,981,926 4/61 Boardman 339-256 3,005,180 10/61 Dreher 339-2733,026,496 3/62 G-luck 339-258 X 3,070,769 12/62 Murphy 339-192 X JOSEPHD. SEERS, Primary Examiner.

2. AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR FOR USE WITH A PLUG, SAID CONNECTORCOMPRISING, (A) A CONNECTOR ELEMENT CONSTRUCTED FROM SHEET METAL ANDFORMED WITH, (B) A FLAT BODY, (C) A PLURALITY OF JUXTAPOSED SOCKETS FORTHE RECEPTION OF PRONGS AND CARRIED BY SAID BODY, (D) SAID SOCKETS BEINGARRANGED IN PARALLEL RELATION AND EACH COMPRISING, (E) SPACED CURVEDBANDS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM THE PLANE OF THE BODY ON OPPOSITE SIDESTHEREOF AND FORMING A CAVITY FOR THE RECEPTION OF THE PLUG, (F) ANEXTENSION ON SAID BODY FORMED WITH PARALLEL KERFS THEREIN PROVIDING, (G)A NUMBER OF FINGERS CONNECTED THERETO AND WITH (H) A CIRCULAR CONNECTINGPORTION THEREBETWEEN, (I) SAID FINGERS BEING ARRANGED TO PROVIDE ALONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING CAVITY OPEN AT THE OUTER END THEREOF FOR THERECEPTION OF A PRONG, (J) SAID FINGERS EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY RELATIVETO SAID CAVITY AND BEING MOVABLE IN RADIAL DIRECTIONS, (K) SAIDCONNECTING PORTION BEING IN THE FORM OF A CIRCLE AND MOVABLE IN ADIRECTION TO ALTER THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE CIRCLE IN WHICH IT LIES, (L)AND A NECK BETWEEN SAID CONNECTING PORTION AND SAID BODY.